Hong Kong AFA: China brings out the big guns

Last night the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) announced the nominees for the 6th Asian Film Awards (AFA). While the nominations spread across more of the region than in previous years, a trio of Chinese blockbusters led the way. 32 films from 11 countries and regions made the cut in 14 categories.

In addition to the jury-voted awards, the AFA also presents three special awards: the Lifetime Achievement Award, this year to Hong Kong director Ann Hui; the Edward Yang New Talent Award; and the Award for 2011’s Top-Grossing Asian Film which, given the massive expansion of mainland screens, is rapidly become an award for Chinese films.

Despite the lifetime achievement nod, Hui’s latest film A Simple Life received only two AFA nominations despite doing well elsewhere and being Hong Kong’s foreign Oscar submission.

This year the AFA has also announced People’s Choice awards for Best Actor and Actress, voted for online, and offering flights, hotels and tickets to the bash for the winners. Although the prize is generous and the competition pitched at international entrants, no territory in the world has yet screened all of the titles nominated for the awards.

By the numbers, Tsui Hark’s HK-Chinese 3-D Flying Swords of Dragon Gate has seven nominations; Zhang Yimou’s The Flowers of War (with Christian Bale) and Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale six; A Separation has five; Wu Xia four.

The Best Film category features four foreign language Oscar contenders – China’s Flowers, Iran’s A Separation, Japan’s Post Card and Taiwan’s Seediq Bale.

While the balance of nominations across the region inevitably shifts from year to year, there are surprises on the nominations list. Japan and South Korea, normally powerhouses at the awards, are under-represented this year. Between them, eight films received 12 of the 72 nominations.

The AFA ceremony is held on Monday 19 March in Hong Kong. The nominations list is:

Best Film A Separation, Iran Postcard, JapanThe Flowers of War, Mainland China The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate, Hong Kong / Mainland China Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale, TaiwanYou Don’t Get a Second Time, India